Advice on food

[DKNL]

So my daughter is two and a half and is the pickiest eater ever. She never used to be but all of a sudden she is. I've been told to not give her snacks our anything so she will get hungry and eat her dinner but I don't want to feel like I'm starving her. What should I do to "broaden her horizons"in food?

[CoeyG]

You're not "starving" her by not allowing her to have snacks.  You've been told correctly, at least in my opinion.  Kids get the idea that if they get snacks they don't have to eat their meals if the meals contain foods they don't like rather than learning to eat what is put in front of them.  If she doesn't want to eat her meal excuse her from the table and no more food or even milk until the next mealtime.  She isn't going to starve by missing a meal but she will be more apt to eat the next time.  When I fixed something new for my daughter my only rule was taste it.  If you taste it and you truly don't like it then you don't have to eat it all.  There has been only one food my daughter (now 26) has never liked, that's asparagas (I dont' like it either but when it is served I will eat some of it ewwww)My daughter even eats snails, squit and ocotopus...

[CoolMommyofboys]

I learned the hard way...unless you don't mind being a "short order cook" as many call it  (making something dif. for each person)         then two and a half is the perfect time to teach them "you eat what is on your plate or you don't eat"                               if they miss one meal, they won't starve and hopefully the next meal, they will eat

mine are older now and it is hard to "make" them eat what I make (sometimes) cuz in the passed I have made them something else...I would do things differently if I could do it all over again

[TheJerseyGirl]

 Toddlers love fingers foods and things that arent messy.

How about making her sandwiches with cookie cutters? Or little grapes and cut up bananas? Maybe the more simple the food the better? Mac and cheese is always a hit...you could add some peas or cut up chicken in there and hopefully wont notice.

As far as snacks, if my kids are hungry, they eat whenever they want to as long as its relatively healthy!

[CoolMommyofboys]

to answer your question about "broadening her horizons" with food?  I say just keep offering her a variety of healthy choices?  different things each time?

when you find some vegetables (for example) that she will eat- give her those?  hopefullly you will find four or five that she will like so that you can offer her a variety

[Roo1234]

Many kids go througha stage like this. I wouldn't necessarily remove snacks from her daily life (remember her stomach is a lot smaller than yours) and also remember that most kids this she eat a majority if their calories long before dinner-so rather than focusing on dinner as "the meal", focus on making all of her food choices healthier: eliminate juice, offer fruits and veggies, whole grain unsweetened cereals rather than crackers. Offer protein sources-beans (served as hummus is an easy one), small amounts of cheese, yogurt, healthy meat options, eggs, etc. This way you will know that even if she isn't eating the evening meal, at some point she is getting real nutrition.
Additionally, prepare and eat flavorful foods in front of her, but don't make a big deal one way or another about her eating it. If she does-great, if not, continue to offer st later meals

[DKNL]

Thank you so much! Ya it just got hard because when I was in school and she had a sitter the girl would only give her cookies and chicken nuggets (i found out much later) so I'm having a hard time breaking her from this

[snuggiewoogie]

 I would not worry too much. I would give snacks. Sometimes I would try to push dinner back a little later and that helped me get her to eat a little better :)

[jaydensmom1726]

if your letting her have juice try the apple&eve fruitables they are 66% fruit juice and the rest is veggies.

also if she likes crackers try wheat thins.or try rice cakes with peanut butter (if she can have it)

my son loves the new peanut butter multigrain cheerio's

[CoeyG]

Another way to get kids interested in eating is to include them in the planning and preparing.  At her age she is old enough to help you choose groceries, you can teach her about reading labels and start helping her understand the health aspects of what she is eating.  She can help you in the kitchen while you prepare the meal by doing small jobs like handing you things you need.  And since small ones love the recogniztion you can bring up the fact that the little one helped pick out and helped create the meal while you are enjoying the meal.  A little praise goes a very long way

[betsystipo]

I give fruit as a snack. I will do apples w pb or a fruit salad. They LOVE fruit. So then at their meals - and yes typically they eat different from what we do. My one son is casein intolerant so I have to be careful what he eats and he has sensory issues. It affects his food. He does not eat crap tho. I let them choose what veggie to eat and the other thing they LOVE are sweet potatoes. Just offer healthy snacks and small portions. She will be fine.